Stocking-protector.



M. CLEMENT.

STOCKING PROTECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 29. 916.

wv snares Pairs orato MAY CLEMENT, OF NEW' YORK, N. Y.

s'rocKING-Pno'rno'rcn.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

Patent-en Jain.21, 1919.

Application filed May 29, 1916. Serial No. 100,606.

i To all whom it may mam.-

Be it known'that 1, MAY CLEMENT, a

citizen of the United States, residing at.

New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Stocking- Protectors, of whichthe following is a specification.

The present invention has for its object to/provide as a simple articleof manufacture a stocking protectorwhich is designed for the purpose ofprotecting stocking from undue strains incident to the flexing of theknee of the wearer, while at the same time afi'ording reinforcementagainst injury by the hose supporters.

To assist in a comprehension of the ad- .vantag'es of this invention itmay be stated that in the use of hose, especially' where made ofmaterial of fine texture there is a tendency for the knee portion toadhere to thefiesh particularly where the latter is moist fromperspiration, and this prevents the material from adjusting itself in1ts yielding action, when the knee is bent, by relatively slipping onthe surfaceof the knee. The result often a bursting of the knee'portionof the hose .or perhaps break; ing'of one or more threads of thematerial that finally runs down.' This result is more or less assistedby the longitudinal strains imparted bythe attachment of the hosesupporters at oneor more points and it is to overcome thesedisadvantages that the present invention is produced. I am quite wellaware that it has been heretofore proposed to provide a knee protectoras I particularly adapted for. use by children in the form of a padwhich is attached to the leg of the wearer on top of the stocking butthis is for the purpose of preventing wear of the material, Whereas itis important to note my protective device is applied to the leg beneaththe stocking and interposed between the flesh and the stocking material,the purpose or function being entirely different as explained above.

For a full understanding of the present invention, reference is to behad to the following description and the accoinpanying drawings,inwhichz Figure 1 IS a perspectwaview showing theap lication of myinvention in cohperative re ation with the hose, portions of the aslatter being broken away to show the arrengement more clearly the kneeof the rial and it may be of any suitable configuration. It IScomprehended, of course, to make the protector in different sizes andof'mate rial of different texture as well as' color,

these phases of the question being immate rial, however, from thestandpoint of this description. J

The upper portion of the protector body is designed to be foldedoutwardly upon the top of the stocking andfor this purpose the upperportioir is" provided with lateral extensions or flaps 2, 2 so as tosubstantially surround the top portion of the stocking to enable theattachment of one or more hose .70 which is of any suitable strongfabric matesupporting elements. The lower portion or extremitybf theprotector is provided with an elastic band 3 stitched thereto to engageabout the leg'of the wearer just below the knee so as to prevent thedisplacement of the lower portion of the protective device.

As shown at 4 each lateral edge of the body of the material is caughtinto a fold in stitching the hem about the body, this providing a slightbagging of the material at an intermediate pointto accommodate "forthebulging of the knee when attached in place.

As shown in Fi 1 oi? the drawing, this I article is first applied to theknee POIlZl'OYL against the flesh and beneath the stocking which isdrawn thereover, the elastic band 3" surrounding the leg as abovementioned, just vwe,

below the knee and the upper end portion ithe protector being foldedback over tho'itop' of the stocking 5. The hose supporters 6 are thenattached to "the protector and stocking top, the former constitutingreinforcement. for preventing injury by the ments of fastening devicesof e hose supporters. The u per portion need not neces 'saril be foldsfor t is material may easily be caught in with ripping ele- 51 i overthe hose as mentioned thereof. The top portion of this form of theprotective device is provided with the lateral flap extensions and thelower with the elastic band as above described with reference to thepreferred form.

It will be ObVlOllS from the foregoing description that the article maybe v? cheaply and easily manufactured though v expense, of course, woulddepend up on the character of material used in its embodiment.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

-1. The combination with protector of flexible material dispose withinthe stocking so as )6 be interposed between the flesh of the wearerand the stocking, the upper and lower/edges of said material be ingrelatively in so'as not to project materially from the surface of'theflesh, and

' means for olding said protector against accide'ntal isplaceinent whilerelative movement of the fabric; of the stock-- ing 'ereover, at theknee in fthe knee.

. The combination with a stocking, of a a stockin of a ermitting the prtion in the flex-g protector of fabric material, the body or saidmaterial being relatively broad at its upper portion to substantiallysurround the leg and constitute detachable reinforcing means for thestocking, said material of the body narrowing toward the centralportion, stocking engaging means for holding the upper portion againstdisplacemenhand leg en gaging means attached to the lower portion of theprotector for holding the latter against accidental displacement whilepermitting relative movement of the stocking thereover. V

3. The combination with a stocking and sup orting means therefor, of aprotehtor of abric material adapted to be arranged provided with afoldable end portion for olding over the top of the stocking and withwhich folded portion the supporting means aforesaid is .engageable,- andleg :engaging beneath the stocking, said protector being means attachedto the protector to hold the same in operative position.

at As a new articleof manufacture, a pror-tectivesdevice for stockingscomprising a body havi'n its vupper portion PIOVldGd with lateral folable extensions for folding e ngagement with ,the stocking, and a legengaging member secured to-sa d body portion. r In testimony whereof Irflix my V ,pmer he m- Witnesses: A i i I I v i ALBsRT' Zimmerman,Dmvrrr C, Drummer!

